Anti-earth proposal

April 21, 2013

To the Editor:

Rejection of the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is one of the most important and immediate executive steps that President Barack Obama (and Congress) can take to address the climate crisis. Keystone XL would carry tar sands, not crude oil.

NASA’s leading climate scientist, Dr. James Hansen, said that tar sands development would mean “game over for the climate.” It’s impossible to fight climate change while simultaneously investing in the dirtiest, most carbon-intensive fossil fuel on the planet. New clean energy sources are critical, but we can’t cancel them out with dirty energy exports. Even the State Department’s review of this Canadian pipeline admits that it will have harmful climate impacts.

The stakes are high, and there is no excuse to approve Big Oil’s pet project. This pipeline will take the tar sands through America, not to America. It likely is an export pipeline, and will not lower gas prices or create very many permanent jobs. Climate change, however, will destroy jobs.

If we don’t take action soon, we are going to pay, and future generations will blame us for our inaction. It really is time for Americans to stand together on this toxic anti-earth, anti-human proposal.

P. Denise Israel

Barrington Hills

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